Companies Race to Create Gambling Apps for the Apple iPad

With the recent release of the Apple iPad, game developers have been in a rush to create gambling apps for the device. March 27th was the deadline for any game developer that wanted their game to be ready in time for the iPad’s big debut.

21 Online Casinos claims that a device like the tablet PC would provide a great opportunity for online gaming sites, particularly because they provide a more comfortable and realistic experience for the player. They’re much easier to read and navigate than a mobile phone, yet not as bulky as traditional laptop technology.

According to 21 Online Casinos, “The truly exciting thing about the iPad is the potential for more interactive online casino games. For instance, players can actually push the buttons on the slot machines themselves or rub the screen to play scratchcards. The format would allow players to interact with games in the same way they would at an actual casino and would also allow for a more user friendly gaming experience.”

One potential downside is that because the iPad would still run on Apple’s operating system, download-based casino apps can’t be accessed on the device, only browser-based applications. But who knows… maybe a successful online gambling experience will influence Apple to think about modifications in the future.

Via GamingSupermarket.

Bodog Features Online Gaming and Gambling

If you have some free time on your hands and are interested in online gambling and/or online sports betting, check out Bodog. Bodog is a well-known gaming company that has carved its way into the worldwide gaming arena. The company boasts 15 years of experience in the gaming field and has a reputation for creating unique online gaming experiences for its players.

On the company’s website, there are roughly 75 games that players can choose from, including online casino games as well as sports-related and betting games. A sample of the casino table games offered on the site include Blackjack, Craps, American and European Roulette, Caribbean Hold’Em, and Baccarat. Other casino games such as slots and video poker games are also available. Bodog currently has a special offer for new players that sign up in the form of a 10% casino bonus.

If online casino gaming isn’t quite your cup of tea, you can check out Bodog’s sports betting games. Some types of sports that players can bet on include basketball, soccer, boxing, baseball, horse racing, cricket, and motor sports.

If you’re interested in checking out Bodog’s website and games for yourself, click here.

Via PokerHeadline.

Chinese Social Online Games Will Be Policed By Government

With all the news about in-game fraud and other social online misdemeanors, the Chinese government is finally getting off the sidelines and doing their part to mitigate the crime.

All this negative press surrounding online gaming is rumored to just be an attempt to defame social games; industry insiders claim that some stories are fake. But get this, last month, a doctor’s fatal neglect of an infant that was in critical condition was said to be blamed on his distraction by Happy Farm, an online, browser-based game. It was later concluded that Happy Farm was indeed not the culprit, but rather a QQ Chinese Chess Game was. Either way, shame on you, Doctor.

What do you think about all this negative news about social and online gaming? It seems harmless enough if you’re not all caught up in the action, but if you are, there could be disastrous results. Even Happy Farm has been rumored to cause job losses and broken relationships.

Via WashingtonPost.

In-Game Fraud Results in 11 Convictions in East China

Wow, talk about stealing online gaming login credentials. The online version of the People’s Daily, China’s official newspaper, has recently reported that 11 people in East China have been convicted of in-game fraud. They’ve been designing malware whose purpose is to steal usernames and passwords.

These 11 fraud artists were accused of stealing 5.3 million usernames and passwords. The two original authors of the malware program were reported to have made 646,000 yuan ($94,597 USD) and two distributors were reported to have made 310,000 yuan. As a result, these four conmen each received prison sentences of between two to three years. All 11 fraud artists were fined a total of 833,000 yuan ($121,980 USD).

Overall, 80 people were involved in the entire get-rich scheme and made profits totaling up to 30 million yuan. No other individuals have currently been convicted of any crimes, but we’ll keep you posted on any new developments.

Via PCMag.

Square Enix CEO Talks About Future of Traditional Vs. Online Gaming

Yoichi Wada, CEO of Square Enix (the company that’s famous for the Final Fantasy series of video games), shares his thoughts on the future of social and browser-based online gaming, “Social and browser games, which is now a very big genre, is something we have started development into. I believe that these types of games are going to be spreading and growing dramatically – especially in areas like Asia which does not have much penetration of consoles.”

Wada even goes so far as to say that social gaming could possibly take over the traditional gaming market (network-based gaming) in as little as 10 years because “instead of relying on the hardware layer, the network becomes the operating system.”

While online-based gaming seems to be a lucrative venture for game developers, that’s not to say there’s nothing standing in the way of smooth sailing when it comes to developing games. The elimination of consoles and other hardware-based gaming equipment will lead to decreased sales and eliminate the need for distributors. Maybe that explains why Square Enix has begun its social gaming incentives only in Japan.

Social and browser-based gaming no doubt has quite a bit of untapped potential. We’ll keep you updated on the progress of the situation.

Via ShackNews.